Kenan Thompson Reacts To Quiet On Set Allegations

Trigger Warning: This piece discusses sexual abuse.

Kenan Thompson has spoken out about the new docuseries Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which explores alleged wrongdoings behind the scenes of several Nickelodeon shows, courtesy of testimonials from former child stars such as Drake Bell.

Thompson, a former Nickelodeon star, addressed the revelations on the Tamron Hall Show. “It’s tough for me because I can’t really speak on things that I’ve never witnessed,” he said, pointing out that most of the allegations occurred after his stint on the network.

Thompson starred on Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series All That (1994–1999) and the sitcom Kenan & Kel (1996–2000), which he fronted opposite Kel Mitchell.

He explained that he had limited interaction with TV producer Dan Schneider, who has faced allegations of sexism, harassment, and verbal abuse. “These things happened after I left, basically, and Dan wasn’t really on Kenan & Kel like that,” he said. “He got a ‘created by’ credit but it was a different show-runner, so our worlds weren’t overly overlapping.”

Clarifying that he “wasn’t really aware” of the allegations highlighted in Quiet On Set, Thompson said his “heart goes out to anybody that’s been victimized,” adding, “I think it’s a good thing that the doc is out and is putting things on display that need to be — stories that need to be told for accountability sake.”

On March 19, Schneider responded to the docuseries in a YouTube video, apologizing for his “embarrassing” past behaviors. “I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology,” he said. “It was wrong that I ever put anybody in that position. It was the wrong thing to do. I’d never do it today.”

He’s “Rooting” For Amanda Bynes

Thompson also discussed his relationship with All That co-star Amanda Bynes, telling Tamron Hall that he’s “rooting for her from afar.” He continued, “I unfortunately haven’t spoken to Amanda since she was really, really young. Like when she was doing her first movies. I think the soccer movie [2006’s She’s The Man] was around that time, was the last time I actually saw her.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org.